Drummond M7 class 0-4-4T
 30029 shunting at the north end of Tunbridge Wells West. Single line tunnel can be seen to the right of the signal box. photograph by Keith Harwood |
| Therefore all but two of the class survived into British
Railways days and continued to perform the same sort of work they did for the
LSWR and the SR. In the brief period from the end of WW2 and into the early
days of nationalisation some members of the class received Bulleid's
malachite green livery lined yellow edged with black. Numbers 242, 243 and 676
were painted malachite green by the Southern Railway in 1946/47. Nº243 was
re-numbered 30243 and re-lettered BRITISH RAILWAYS in unlined malachite in 1948
whilst the other two went direct from SOUTHERN malachite to lined black. The
three gained this livery in 1950, 1952 and 1952 respectively.
A further three locos, 30038, 30241 and 30244, were painted malachite by BR in 1948, lettered BRITISH RAILWAYS. They became lined black in 1953, 1953 and 1951 respectively. Other than for what is noted above, in BR days the class ran in lined black livery. |
| Carrying Duty Nº55, Nº30055 waits for departure time
in the bay platform at Three Bridges on 7th August 1963.
photograph by John Bradbeer |
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30133 at Three Bridges with H Class
Nº31005.
photograph by Keith Harwood |
| The most notorious member of the class engine number 672 gained its repute and met its demise when in 1948 it fell down the lift shaft that gave rolling stock access to the Waterloo & City line. It could only be removed by being cut up in situ. Number 126 was altered in 1921 to superheating which resulted in its boiler being raised, a Urie style stovepipe chimney being fitted and its smokebox being extended. Whilst this conversion was successful and it was planned to perform this work to a further nineteen, the increased weight severely restricted route availability and therefore usefulness. 126 was thus confined to Windsor line services and eventually Waterloo ECS duties. In 1937 126 was withdrawn and donated its frames to repair 254, the latter then becoming a long framed version (though in reality the resulting engine owed more to 126 than 254). |
| On 5 July 1964 the last operational M7 which, thankfully,
survived into the preservation era, performed the last rites for this
illustrious class of locomotive and also brought to an end the once familiar
sight of 0-4-4Ts on Britain’s railways.
30053 is pictured here at Caterham. photograph by Mike Morant |
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The LCGB’s ‘Surrey Wanderer’ railtour
started with 30053 hauling the stock from Waterloo to Shepperton whence the
unlikely motive power of 78038 took over and included Epsom Downs, Tulse Hill
and Beckenham Junction in its itinerary until its final destination of Caterham
where 30053 was waiting for the rest of the day’s events.
30053 at Clapham Junction. photograph by Mike Morant |
| 30053 approaching Kenley.
photograph by Mike Morant |
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30053 ran bunker first to Purley, thence chimney first to
Tattenham Corner followed by a speedy run to Victoria which, of course, was
also bunker first as the Tattenham Corner turntable had long since been
removed.
This is a view of 30053 when at Tattenham Corner. photograph: Mike Morant collection |
| Grubby and minus smokebox number, 30133 is seen towards the
end of SR steam at Fratton on 3rd October 1965. According to the shed staff she
was one of 2 M7s in Fratton Shed at that time which were used as a source of
some spare parts for the IOW O2s. They had been withdrawn for some time when
this picture was taken.
photograph by Ray Soper |
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This page was last updated 25 July 2010
